I had to create another WHS hunting trip itinerary around my annual skiing trip, and this winter the ski resort of my choice was at Jahorina, Bosnia, the site of the 1984 Winter Olympics. So I attempted to bag remaining WHSs in Serbia, Bosnia, Croatia, Slovenia and Italy. Unlike last winter when I couldn't move around in Bulgaria due to criplingly heavy snow, there wasn't so much snow in the Balkan this winter, so I was able to follow my itinerary fairly well, although bus timetables I got off internet in Serbia and Bosnia were way off. 

Flew from Berlin to Nis in Serbia and took bus from Nis through Kraljevo and Usce to Novi Pazar. 

The day I arrived in Novi Pazar, I just walked to St. Peter's Church, which was about 2 km from my hotel. 

A woman at the bus station of Novi Pazar had told me there was no bus to the Stari Ras area, and completely forgetting seeing a bus in Els' photo at the Stari Ras area, I decided to take a taxi the following morning from Novi Pazar to Stari Ras and Sopocani Monastery for 13 Euros. Well, the woman probably thought infrequent bus would be too inconvenient for me...

We headed to the Sopocani Monastery first, and I saw a bus passing by the Monastery...Damn...

There was no attendant at the Monastery, so I just freely walked around, having the taxi wait for me for about 20 min. 

After Sopocani I was expecting the taxi driver to take the road that leads to Stari Ras up on the hill that I saw on Google Map, but as it turned out, the road was not for cars. I was told at the hotel at the Stari Ras area that the only way to go up to Stari Ras was to hike up a trail that starts off right behind the restaurant of the hotel for about 30 min. 

So, by giving another 10 Euros to the demanding taxi driver, something I hated to do, I had the driver wait at the hotel parking for 90 min. and hiked up.  Walking on the snow-covered trail was majorly difficult, especially on the way back down; nonetheless, I managed to go up and down, falling down only once, within about 70 min, spending about 20 min. up there. It wasn't quite Masada, but the view of Novi Pazar from the top of the hill was rewarding. Since I still had 20 min. left for the 90 min. time limit, I had a quick lunch at the restaurant. 

I didn't go to see Stupovi Monastery, as I was no longer willing to spend money for taxi for this WHS. 

Photo 01 shows the interior of the Sopocani Monastery Church. In Photo 02 or any Google satellite photo you can actually see the trail, albeit vaguely. Photo 03 was taken near the hotel parking, and you can see part of Stari Ras on top of the hill.  Indeed I saw the parking from the top. Photo 04 shows the ruin of the first capital of Serbia on the hill!